Door assembly for a portable shelter with arched vestibule

ABSTRACT

A door assembly is disclosed for installation in a portable shelter with an arched vestibule. The door assembly comprises: an upper door support member, a lower door support member, a door in a frame secured to the upper and lower door support members, and a partition covering areas of an opening between the shelter and vestibule on each side of the door and above the upper door support member. The upper door support member is secured to a shelter frame below an arched horizontal member thereof across the opening between the shelter and the vestibule, and the lower door support member is secured to the shelter frame across the bottom of the opening. The door assembly may be supplied as a kit for retrofitting the portable shelter with the arched vestibule to include the door.

BACKGROUND

The field of the present invention relates to portable shelters. Inparticular, a door assembly is disclosed herein for installation betweena portable shelter and an attached vestibule.

Portable shelters are used extensively as temporary housing, medicalfacilities, or storage facilities, and for other purposes. The need forsuch temporary structures or facilities may arise in many differentcircumstances, e.g., response and recovery after a natural disaster,industrial accident or other man-made disaster, terrorist attack, and soforth. Modular shelter systems offer flexibility in configuring multipleportable shelters into larger structures of varying size orconfiguration, enabling such shelters to fulfill a variety of needs.Examples of such modular shelter systems include HO- and HS-Seriesshelters from Western Shelter Systems, which may be connected to eachother by vestibule structures to form larger shelter structures.

In many circumstances it is desirable that joined shelters form a singlecontiguous area including the areas of the joined shelters as well asthe area of vestibule(s) connecting them. The Western Shelter Systemsvestibules and shelters are designed to provide such a contiguous area,with an open passage between each shelter and adjoining vestibule thathas no frame member across the bottom of the passage and that has anarched upper portion to provide headroom. In other circumstances,separation of space may be necessary or desirable. For example, if a setof connected portable shelters is to be used as a temporary medicalfacility, it is typically desirable to separate various spaces withinthe structure, e.g., for limiting spread of or exposure to infectious orchemical agents, for maintaining a sterile surgical environment, forisolation containment, or for other reasons. Depending on the reasonsfor isolating a particular space within the shelter system, aventilation system may be employed for supplying filtered air in eithera positive- or negative-pressure arrangement. The efficacy of such anarrangement depends at least in part on the ability to separate aportion of the interior space of the shelter that is to be isolated.

It is therefore desirable to provide a door assembly for installation inan opening between a portable shelter and a connected vestibule. It maybe desirable that the door assembly be adapted for installation in amodular shelter system, or to be repeatedly installed and uninstalled.It may be desirable that the door assembly be installed in the portableshelter as original equipment, or as a retrofit. It may be desirable toprovide components of the door assembly in kit form for retrofitting. Itmay be desirable that the door assembly be sealable so that the sheltermay be used as an isolation containment enclosure.

SUMMARY

A door assembly is disclosed for installation in a portable shelter withan arched vestibule. The door assembly comprises: an upper door supportmember, a lower door support member, a door in a frame secured to theupper and lower door support members, and a partition covering areas ofan opening between the shelter and vestibule on each side of the doorand above the upper door support member. The upper door support memberis secured to a shelter frame below an arched horizontal member thereofacross the opening between the shelter and the vestibule, and the lowerdoor support member is secured to the shelter frame across the bottom ofthe opening.

A method for installing a door assembly in a portable shelter with anarched vestibule structure comprises: securing the upper door supportmember to the shelter frame below the arched horizontal member acrossthe opening between the shelter and the vestibule; securing the lowerdoor support member to the shelter frame across the bottom of theopening; securing the door frame with the door to the door supportmembers; and securing flexible material to the shelter frame, the doorframe, or the door support members, so as to form the partition. A kitfor retrofitting the portable shelter with the arched vestibule toinclude the door comprises the upper and lower door support members,hardware for securing the upper door support member to the shelter framebelow the arched horizontal member and for securing the lower doorsupport member to the shelter frame; the door and door frame; andflexible shelter material shaped so as to form the partition coveringareas of the opening on each side of the door frame and between thearched horizontal member and the door support member.

Objects and advantages pertaining to door assemblies for portableshelters and vestibules may become apparent upon referring to theexemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings and disclosed in thefollowing written description or claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates schematically a frame for a portable shelter and aconnected arched vestibule, including a door assembly.

FIG. 2 illustrates schematically a portable shelter and a connectedarched vestibule, including a door assembly.

FIG. 3 illustrates schematically two portable shelters connected by avestibule, including door assemblies.

FIG. 4 illustrates schematically a portable shelter and a vestibule,including a door assembly and an exterior door.

FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate schematically an upper door support memberand mounting hardware therefor.

FIG. 6 illustrates schematically a lower door support member andmounting hardware therefor.

The embodiments shown in the Figures are exemplary, and should not beconstrued as limiting the scope of the present disclosure and/orappended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

A frame 10 for a portable shelter is schematically illustrated inFIG. 1. The assembled frame comprises vertical members 12, upperhorizontal members 14, and lower horizontal members 16. At least one ofthe upper horizontal members is arched (labeled 17 in the Figures).Attached to the shelter frame 10 is a frame 18 for an arched vestibule,with the arched upper horizontal member 17 partly defining the openingbetween the shelter and the vestibule. The remainder of the vestibuleframe is truncated in the FIGS. 1 and 2 for clarity. An upper doorsupport member 32 is secured to the shelter frame below the archedhorizontal member 17 across the opening between the shelter and thevestibule, and a lower door support member 34 is secured to the shelterframe across the bottom of the opening between the shelter and thevestibule. A door frame 36 with at least one door 38 is secured to theupper and lower door support members 32/34 (a pair of doors 38 is shownin the Figures). The upper and lower door support members 32/34, thedoor and door frame 36/38, and material forming a partition 40 betweenthe shelter and vestibule are collectively referred to as door assembly30 (partition 40 not shown in FIG. 1, but shown in FIG. 2 and describedhereinbelow).

Once the shelter frame 10 and the vestibule frame 18 are assembled,flexible shelter material 20 is typically placed on the frames to formthe sides and roof of the shelter 42 (shown partially cut-away in FIG.2) and to form the sides and arched roof of the vestibule (omitted fromFIG. 2 for clarity). The shelter material 20 can be of any suitable type(e.g. canvas, nylon, plastic, and so on, including composites,laminates, or combinations thereof). Additional shelter material issecured to the shelter frame 10, the door frame 36, the upper doorsupport member 32, or the lower door support member 34 to form apartition 40 covering areas of the opening on each side of the doorframe 36 and between the upper door support member 32 and the archedmember 17.

The partition 40, door frame 36, and door 38 can be arranged to besubstantially sealed (when the door 38 is closed), limiting orsubstantially preventing airflow between the shelter 42 and thevestibule. This may be necessary or desirable, for example, when theshelter is used as an isolation containment system. A ventilation systemcan be provided supplying negative or positive atmospheric pressure tothe interior of the shelter, depending on the particular circumstancesof the shelter's use as an isolation containment system. Substantialsealing of the door assembly 30 and partition increases theeffectiveness of the atmospheric pressure gradient as a means forisolating the interior volume of the shelter from its surroundings (orvice versa). The isolation functionality of the shelter 42 may befurther enhanced by installing a second door assembly at the other endof the vestibule, forming an airlock-type structure. The second doorassembly may be substantially similar to the first door assembly, or maybe of a different type.

The door assembly can be installed between a shelter and vestibule thatcomprise a portion of a modular shelter system. Examples of such modularportable shelter systems are the HO- and HS-Series portable shelterssupplied by Western Shelter Systems of Eugene, Oreg. These systems aredescribed in detail in User Instruction Manuals published by WesternShelter Systems for HS-Series shelters (document WS-MANHS published July2005), for HO-Series shelters (document downloaded via Internet in April2006), and for a Vestibule Connector VC-WS20-1935 (document WS-MANVCpublished March 2006). Each of these three manuals is incorporated byreference as if fully set forth herein. In such modular shelter systems,multiple shelters or vestibules may be connected in a variety ofconfigurations as needed or desired. A vestibule frame 18 serving as aconnector between two shelter frames 10 (example shown in FIG. 3) wouldtypically have an opening at each end where it is connected to each ofthe connected shelters. A door assembly 30 as disclosed herein is showninstalled at each end of such a connecting vestibule, forming anairlock-type structure connecting the two shelters. A vestibuleconnected to only one shelter can serve as an entryway (example shown inFIG. 4; frames only shown). A door assembly 30 as disclosed herein isshown installed at the opening between the vestibule (defined by frame18) and the shelter (defined by frame 10), and together with an exteriordoor assembly 46 of the vestibule can form an airlock-type structure.

The door assembly 30 may be supplied and constructed as a part of theshelter and vestibule, or may be a later retrofit to the shelter andvestibule. The components for the door assembly can be supplied as a kitfor retrofitting the shelter and vestibule with the door assembly. Sucha kit may typically include the door support members 32/34, the door(s)38 and door frame 36, shelter material shaped so as to form thepartition 40, and hardware for connecting the upper and lower doorsupport members 32/34 across the opening between the shelter and thevestibule. The kit can further include instructions for retrofitting theshelter and vestibule with the door assembly.

The upper and lower door support members 32/34 are typicallysubstantially straight members arranged substantially horizontally whensecured to the shelter frame for installing the door assembly 30. Anysuitable hardware may be employed for securing the door support members32/34 to the shelter frame across the opening 11 between the shelter andthe vestibule. FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate an example of angled brackets33 for securing the upper door support member 32 the shelter frame belowthe arched member 17. FIG. 6 illustrates an example of brackets 35 forsecuring the lower door support member 34 to the shelter frame. Othersuitable brackets may be employed. When supplied as a kit forretrofitting, brackets 33 or 35 are typically specifically adapted forsecuring the door support members 32 or 34 to the shelter frame of theretrofitted shelter. For example, the brackets 33 and 35 shown in FIGS.5A, 5B, and 6 may be employed for retrofitting the shelters andvestibule supplied by Western Shelter Systems described hereinabove. Thedoor assembly may be adapted or arranged so that it may be repeatedlyinstalled and uninstalled from the shelter and vestibule while leavingthe shelter and vestibule substantially undisturbed. In other words, thedoor assembly 30 may be adapted or arranged for being installed in oruninstalled from a previously-assembled shelter and vestibule withoutrequiring any disassembly of the shelter or vestibule. This capabilitymay be of particular utility when used with a modular shelter systemthat may be reconfigured as needed or desired. Removal of the lower doorsupport member 34 when uninstalling the door assembly 30 providescontiguous floor areas of the shelter and vestibule, resulting inunimpeded access between the shelter and vestibule for rolled or draggedobjects. Removal of the upper door support member 32 when uninstallingthe door assembly 30 provides headroom beneath the arched member 17 inthe opening between the shelter and vestibule.

It is intended that equivalents of the disclosed exemplary embodimentsand methods shall fall within the scope of the present disclosure and/orappended claims. It is intended that the disclosed exemplary embodimentsand methods, and equivalents thereof, may be modified while remainingwithin the scope of the present disclosure or appended claims.

For purposes of the present disclosure and appended claims, theconjunction “or” is to be construed inclusively (e.g., “a dog or a cat”would be interpreted as “a dog, or a cat, or both”; e.g., “a dog, a cat,or a mouse” would be interpreted as “a dog, or a cat, or a mouse, or anytwo, or all three”), unless: i) it is explicitly stated otherwise, e.g.,by use of “either . . . or”, “only one of . . . ”, or similar language;or ii) two or more of the listed alternatives are mutually exclusivewithin the particular context, in which case “or” would encompass onlythose combinations involving non-mutually-exclusive alternatives.

For purposes of the present disclosure or appended claims, the words“include”, “including”, and so on shall be construed as beingopen-ended, e.g., “including” shall be construed as “including but notlimited to”.

1. A door assembly installed in a portable shelter with an archedvestibule, the door assembly comprising: an upper door support membersecured to a shelter frame below an arched horizontal member thereofacross an opening between the shelter and the vestibule; a lower doorsupport member secured to the shelter frame across the bottom of theopening between the shelter and the vestibule; at least one door in adoor frame, the door frame being secured to the upper and lower doorsupport members; and flexible shelter material forming a partitioncovering areas of the opening on each side of the door frame and betweenthe arched horizontal member and the upper door support member.
 2. Thedoor assembly of claim 1, wherein the door, door frame, and partitionare sealed so that the shelter may be used as an isolation enclosure. 3.The door assembly of claim 1, further comprising a pair of angledbrackets for securing the ends of the upper door support member to thearched horizontal member.
 4. The door assembly of claim 1, wherein thedoor assembly is adapted for being repeatedly installed in anduninstalled from the shelter and vestibule while leaving the shelter andvestibule substantially undisturbed.
 5. The door assembly of claim 1,wherein the shelter and vestibule comprise a portion of a modularshelter system.
 6. The door assembly of claim 1, wherein the upper andlower door support members are substantially straight.
 7. A portableshelter with an arched vestibule, comprising: an assembled shelter framecomprising vertical members and upper and lower horizontal members,wherein at least one upper horizontal member is arched; an assembledvestibule frame connected to the shelter frame so that the arched upperhorizontal member partly defines an opening between the shelter and thevestibule; an upper door support member secured to the shelter framebelow the arched horizontal member across the opening between theshelter and the vestibule; a lower door support member secured to theshelter frame across the bottom of the opening between the shelter andthe vestibule; at least one door in a door frame secured to the upperand lower door support members; flexible shelter material forming sidesand a roof on the shelter frame, and forming sides and an arched roof onthe vestibule frame; and flexible shelter material forming a partitioncovering areas of the opening on each side of the door frame and betweenthe arched horizontal member and the door support member.
 8. The shelterof claim 7, further comprising a second door assembly on the vestibuleso that the vestibule is arranged as an airlock-type structure.
 9. Theshelter of claim 8, further comprising a second shelter connected to thevestibule through the second door assembly.
 10. The shelter of claim 8,wherein the second door assembly includes an exterior door.
 11. Theshelter of claim 7, wherein the door, door frame, and partition aresealed so that the shelter may be used as an isolation enclosure. 12.The shelter of claim 7, further comprising a pair of angled brackets forsecuring the ends of the upper door support member to the archedhorizontal member.
 13. The shelter of claim 7, wherein the door assemblyis adapted for being repeatedly installed in and uninstalled from theshelter and vestibule while leaving the shelter and vestibulesubstantially undisturbed.
 14. The shelter of claim 7, wherein theshelter and vestibule comprise a portion of a modular shelter system.15. The shelter of claim 7, wherein the upper and lower door supportmembers are substantially straight.
 16. A method for installing a doorassembly in a portable shelter with an arched vestibule, the methodcomprising: securing an upper door support member to a shelter framebelow an arched horizontal member thereof across an opening between theshelter and the vestibule; securing a lower door support member to theshelter frame across the bottom of the opening between the shelter andthe vestibule; securing a door frame with at least one door to the upperand lower door support members; and securing flexible material to theshelter frame, the door frame, the upper door support member, or thelower door support member so as to form a partition covering areas ofthe opening on each side of the door frame and between the archedhorizontal member and the upper door support member.
 17. The method ofclaim 16, wherein the vestibule includes a second door assembly SO thatthe vestibule is arranged as an airlock-type structure.
 18. The methodof claim 17, wherein a second shelter is connected to the vestibulethrough the second door assembly.
 19. The method of claim 17, whereinthe second door assembly includes an exterior door.
 20. The method ofclaim 16, wherein the door assembly is installed in apreviously-assembled shelter and vestibule shelter as a retrofit whileleaving the shelter and vestibule substantially undisturbed.
 21. Themethod of claim 16, wherein the door, door frame, and partition aresealed so that the shelter may be used as an isolation enclosure. 22.The method of claim 16, wherein the ends of the upper door supportmember are secured to the arched horizontal member by a pair of angledbrackets.
 23. The method of claim 16, further comprising repeatedlyinstalling and uninstalling the door assembly from the shelter andvestibule while leaving the shelter and vestibule substantiallyundisturbed.
 24. The method of claim 23, wherein floor areas of theshelter and the vestibule form a contiguous area when the door assemblyis uninstalled.
 25. The method of claim 23, wherein the arched memberdefines the upper portion of the opening between the shelter andvestibule when the door assembly is uninstalled.
 26. The method of claim16, wherein the shelter comprises a portion of a modular shelter system.27. The method of claim 16, wherein the upper and lower door supportmembers are substantially straight.
 28. A kit for retrofitting with adoor assembly a portable shelter with an arched vestibule, the kitcomprising: an upper door support member; hardware for securing theupper door support member to a shelter frame below an arched horizontalmember thereof across an opening between the shelter and the vestibule,and for securing the lower door support member across the bottom of theopening between the shelter and the vestibule; a lower door supportmember arranged for being secured to the shelter frame across the bottomof the opening between the shelter and the vestibule; at least one doorand a corresponding door frame, the door frame being arranged for beingsecured to the upper and lower door support members; and flexibleshelter material shaped so as to form a partition covering areas of theopening on each side of the door frame and between the arched horizontalmember and the door support member.
 29. The kit of claim 28, furthercomprising instructions directing a user to: secure the upper doorsupport member to the shelter frame below the arched horizontal memberthereof across the opening between the shelter and the vestibule; securethe lower door support member to the shelter frame across the bottom ofthe opening between the shelter and the vestibule; secure the door framewith the door to the upper and lower door support members; and secureflexible material to the shelter frame, the door frame, the upper doorsupport member, or the lower door support member so as to form thepartition.
 30. The kit of claim 28, wherein the door, door frame, andpartition are arranged to be sealed so that the shelter may be used asan isolation enclosure.
 31. The kit of claim 28, further comprising apair of angled brackets for securing the ends of the upper door supportmember to the arched horizontal member in a substantially horizontalarrangement.
 32. The kit of claim 28, wherein the door assembly isadapted for being repeatedly installed in and uninstalled from theshelter and vestibule while leaving the shelter and vestibulesubstantially undisturbed.
 33. The kit of claim 28, wherein the shelterand vestibule comprise a portion of a modular shelter system.
 34. Thekit of claim 28, wherein the upper and lower door support members aresubstantially straight.